Venezuela’s Maduro announces re-election candidacy

Caracas, Feb 27 (EFE).- President Nicolas Maduro officially announced his candidacy for re-election Tuesday before Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) in the April 22 balloting, which the main opposition alliance MUD plans to boycott.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro formalizes before the National Electoral Council (CNE) his candidacy for re-election for the elections of April 22, in which the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable coalition (MUD) will not participate, in Caracas, Venezuela, 27 February 2018. EFE

Earlier, the incumbent visited the grave of his political mentor, President Hugo Chavez (1954-2013), his motorcade passing along several streets in downtown Caracas en route from the Miraflores presidential palace to the CNE offices.

The governing PSUV party, the recently created Somos Venezuela (We Are Venezuela) organization, the Communist Party and other leftist organizations are all backing Maduro’s candidacy.

He said he accepted the nomination by “Venezuela’s bloc of revolutionary, patriotic and pro-Chavez forces,” and handed CNE chair Tibisay Lucena a copy of the so-called “2019-2025 Plan for the Homeland,” which includes the executive branch’s intended course of action for the upcoming presidential term.

So far, Maduro is not opposed by any strong candidates.

The president, who later gave a speech before thousands of supporters, said that – if re-elected – he will enhance the “path and legacy of Chavez,” his predecessor, whom he succeeded in April 2013.